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5 Ways to Actually Freshen Breath and Clean Your Mouth

It’s that time of year again, where holiday party season kicks into full swing! Because one highlight of holiday gatherings is the food and its indulgences, maintaining minty fresh breath can become a daunting task. So, people typically carry some sort of mint flavour breath freshener with them.

But for good oral hygiene you need to go beyond tooth brushing, no matter how minty fresh your mouth already feels, say dentists. So to have a truly fresh, clean mouth when you’re standing under the mistletoe, keep these five tips in mind.

1. Brush your tongue

Stinky bacteria live all over your tongue so if you’re thinking of doing some French kissing later you’ll definitely want to make sure it’s ready for action.

2. Skip the flavoured mouthwash and gargle with hydrogen peroxide

Instead of going for the liquid that smells the best, go for the one that cleans the best, says Mike McIlwain, D.M.D., a dentist at McIlwain Dentistry and an assistant clinical professor in Pediatric Dentistry at the University of Florida, to WebMD. “Gargle with peroxide for fresher breath. Treat it like your favourite mouthwash. Just swig, swish, and spit. The oxygen in the hydrogen peroxide kills mouth bacteria that cause bad breath,” he explains.

3. Stay hydrated

Dehydration is a common, if lesser known, cause of rank mouth odours. When you don’t drink enough water, your spit dries up and can’t wash away the bacteria, allowing it to build up in your mouth.

4. Treat infections

That cold going around right now can morph into a sinus infection, another common cause of bad breath. Post-nasal drip, when the snot runs down the back of your throat, can make you smell as sick as you feel.

5. Eat more yogurt

You already knew that yogurt can help with vaginal yeast infections and weight maintenance, but the good bacteria in yogurt also helps balance out the bacteria in your mouth, leading to fresher breath and whiter teeth.

Contact Family Care Dental Clinic for your consultation today!

We at Family Care Dental Clinic offer our clients a wide range of comprehensive dental services for the whole family. Our dentists can help everyone in your family understand the importance of proper oral hygiene over time and the positive effects it has on your health. At Family Care Dental Clinic, we treat our clients to a soothing environment where they can receive quality dental care no matter what their needs are. Call (604) 987-3545 or please visit our appointment page to schedule an appointment with a member of our excellent team.